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1905.] Document ISTo. 3. . 595
COMPULSORY SCHOOL LAW IN MACON COUNTY.
Feanklin, October 18, 1904.
Hon. J. Y. Joynek,
Superintendent of ruhlic Instruction,
Raleigh. A'. C.
Dear Sir :—Perhaps I can best comply with your request for au
account of the practical workings of the compulsory school law in
Macon County by giving a brief history of the movement from its
incipiency to the present time.
INIy first intimation that such a law would meet with popular
approval came in the course of a conversation with a distinguished
citizen of the county—one who had served it in an official capacity
for more than a quarter of a century. When this gentleman sug-gested
to me that a just and moderate law providing for enforced
attendance on the public schools would be received with favor, I
listened to the suggestion with mild surprise and gave it small con-sideration.
It required some time and an actual "feeling of the
pulse of the people'' to convince me that he was right.
The opportunity for this inquiiy into the state of the public mind
came after the schools had opened and I was making my tour of the
county for the purpose of holding teachers' meetings. Each of these
meetings was made the occasion of an educational rally for the town-ship
in which it was held, and I endeavored to secure a large attend-ance
of the citizens. Carrying out the policy of those who had in
charge the conduct of our educational campaign, I urged upon the
people the duty of taxing themselves for the benefit of the schools.
On every hand they met me with the plea that the people were not
taking advantage of the means already provided for the education
of their children. The property owners would not consent to tax
themselves more heavily so long as their poor neighbors r,3fused to
patronize the schools already placed within their reach. The cry
was, "Give us compulsoiy education, and then we will talk to you
about special taxes."
I determined that they should have this pretext no longer. Accord-ingly
the next year I circulated a petition addressed to the General
Assembly, and praying that honorable body to enact a compulsory
school law for Macon County, subject to ratification by the voters at
the polls. I gave this petition to the teachers and committeemen,
and asked that it be circulated among the people.
The petition came in, signed by hundreds of the best citizens of the
county, and I turned it over to our representative in the Legislature.
The bill was introduced and passed. By virtue of the authority
vested in them by the act, the Commissioners called an election in
May following the adjournment of the Legislature, and the law was
submitted to the people lor their ratification or rejection. When
the returns came in we had the respectable majority of 88 votes in
favor of the law. In Highlands township the vote stood 76 for and
none against compulsory attendance.

1905.] Document ISTo. 3. . 595
COMPULSORY SCHOOL LAW IN MACON COUNTY.
Feanklin, October 18, 1904.
Hon. J. Y. Joynek,
Superintendent of ruhlic Instruction,
Raleigh. A'. C.
Dear Sir :—Perhaps I can best comply with your request for au
account of the practical workings of the compulsory school law in
Macon County by giving a brief history of the movement from its
incipiency to the present time.
INIy first intimation that such a law would meet with popular
approval came in the course of a conversation with a distinguished
citizen of the county—one who had served it in an official capacity
for more than a quarter of a century. When this gentleman sug-gested
to me that a just and moderate law providing for enforced
attendance on the public schools would be received with favor, I
listened to the suggestion with mild surprise and gave it small con-sideration.
It required some time and an actual "feeling of the
pulse of the people'' to convince me that he was right.
The opportunity for this inquiiy into the state of the public mind
came after the schools had opened and I was making my tour of the
county for the purpose of holding teachers' meetings. Each of these
meetings was made the occasion of an educational rally for the town-ship
in which it was held, and I endeavored to secure a large attend-ance
of the citizens. Carrying out the policy of those who had in
charge the conduct of our educational campaign, I urged upon the
people the duty of taxing themselves for the benefit of the schools.
On every hand they met me with the plea that the people were not
taking advantage of the means already provided for the education
of their children. The property owners would not consent to tax
themselves more heavily so long as their poor neighbors r,3fused to
patronize the schools already placed within their reach. The cry
was, "Give us compulsoiy education, and then we will talk to you
about special taxes."
I determined that they should have this pretext no longer. Accord-ingly
the next year I circulated a petition addressed to the General
Assembly, and praying that honorable body to enact a compulsory
school law for Macon County, subject to ratification by the voters at
the polls. I gave this petition to the teachers and committeemen,
and asked that it be circulated among the people.
The petition came in, signed by hundreds of the best citizens of the
county, and I turned it over to our representative in the Legislature.
The bill was introduced and passed. By virtue of the authority
vested in them by the act, the Commissioners called an election in
May following the adjournment of the Legislature, and the law was
submitted to the people lor their ratification or rejection. When
the returns came in we had the respectable majority of 88 votes in
favor of the law. In Highlands township the vote stood 76 for and
none against compulsory attendance.